Friday, 9 August 2013

I am sorry about how few posts there have been on Modern Printmakers recently, but here is something for everyone who is colour woodcut at heart: an early bookplate with an attribution to the Viennese secessionist, Carl Moll, who I featured quite some while back.

You will find it on British ebay. I would take the date of 1897 given by the dealer with considerable caution because this would make it one of the very earliest of all European colour woodcuts, and interesting as Moll can be, I don't think innovation of that kind could be attached to his name. Only Peter Behrens, and possibly Emil Orlik and Bernhard Pankok, were active in the field in central Europe around then, so you would be paying at least £89 for something with a dubious date. Add to that £8.50 for delivery, and you have the perfect ebay money-spinner.